By Noell Wolfgram Evans

The Stow City Council held a regular council meeting at 7 p.m. on Sept. 11 in Council Chambers at the Stow City Hall. In attendance were President of Council Cyle Feldman, Ward 2 Member Kelly Coffey, Ward 4 Member Mario Fiocca, Member Kyle Herman, Member Jeremy McIntire and Ward 3 Member John Baranek.

Also in attendance were Stow Mayor John Pribonic, Chief of Staff Nick Wren, Finance Director Kelly Toppin, Law Director Drew Reilly, Clerk of Council Sonya Mottram, Deputy Finance Director Angela Revay, Director of Planning and Development Zack Cowan, Deputy Director of Planning and Development Sarah McGuinness, Deputy Law Director Steve Hooten and Police Chief Jeffrey Film.

Feldman gaveled the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m., as the council had just returned from executive session. The first order of business was for the roll call to be taken. Ward I Member Matt Riehl was not in attendance. McIntire made a motion to excuse Riehl from the meeting. The motion was passed by unanimous consent.

Pribonic was then invited to offer a proclamation. He invited up to the podium Stow resident Kem Cook and Winston, her neighbor's dog. Pribonic praised Cook for performing a life-saving action that embodied “...what the city of Stow is all about.” Cook, who is a registered nurse, saw her neighbors walking their dog Winston, when he got a hold of a chicken bone. The neighbor tried to perform the heimlich on Winston but was unsuccessful. That’s when Cook stepped in. She performed the maneuver and was able to dislodge the bone. Winston, though, was unresponsive. Cook’s training kicked in and she performed CPR until Winston’s body functions restarted. 

After receiving the proclamation, Cook told those in attendance, “It’s like they say, if you see something, say something or do something. That’s what I would like to come out of this.”

The council then returned to their standard business with the approval of the minutes of the Aug. 7 regular meetings. With no public comments taking place, the next item on the agenda was the mayor’s report. Pribonic welcomed the members of the Keleman family and their friends. He said “What the family has accomplished in one year is amazing. On behalf of myself, personally, and the city of Stow, I am so proud of you.” He then proceeded to thank everyone for their hard work in making the Stow Summer Sunset Blast a success. Pribonic announced that the city has installed new artists' signal boxes around the community and encouraged everyone to look for them as they were driving around.

The high school homecoming parade will take place between 4:45 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on the 19th. Everyone is invited but cautioned that the road in front of the high school will be closed.

The council then moved on to new business. The only new business was ordinance 2025-184, which had been moved to the agenda from the earlier executive session. This ordinance, which was passed unanimously, enabled the mayor to enter into a settlement with Michael J. Hart. No additional comments were offered.

Feldman announced third readings of a number of ordinances. First up was 2025-136. This ordinance was introduced initially by Herman seeking to create a commission to decide if Stow should consider adding additional wards. Herman said he originally introduced the ordinance based on the work performed by the Charter Review Commission. He said that the council has had the same number of seats since 1958 and questioned whether it was time to create a commission to look at the number and structure of the wards. Coffey spoke in opposition saying she can handle the calls she receives from her residents and believes a change would be costly. When the ordinance was put up for a vote, it did not pass with Herman as the lone yes.

The second item up for vote, 2025-137, had also initially been proposed by Herman. This too came from the research and work of the Charter Review Commission. The ordinance was for the creation of a commission to look into utilizing a ranked-choice voting system in the city. Herman believed that going in this direction could help to increase citizen engagement. “I had hoped that Stow could be a leader in good governance,” Herman said. 

When the vote was called, the ordinance failed with Herman and Baranek casting the only votes for the proposal.

Ordinance 2025-142 brought the most interest from those in attendance and elicited a number of comments from council. The ordinance, which passed unanimously, mandates that all drive-through lanes have a bypass lane. This was initially proposed because of the fatal shooting of Megan Keleman in a Taco Bell drive-through in the city. Following the passage of what has become known as Megan’s Way Out, Pribonic promised to sign it into law that night. Council invited Megan’s father, Nick Keleman, to make any remarks he wished. 

“We want to thank all of you,” he said. “This is a good step. It will be a model for everything going forward.” 

Following a round of applause, the business of the council continued.

Feldman proposed postponing the vote on ordinance 2025-147, which is for the 2026-2030 capital improvement plan. That proposal passed unanimously.

Ordinances 2025-148 and 2025-149 were put forth, voted on and approved separately, but both were pertaining to the same topic of school safety. 148 amends the city’s “Personnel Policies, Procedures, and Payroll” C.O.S. and 149 builds on that by providing the mayor with approval to contract for security services for the school district. Coffey thanked Film for getting this process started. “It’s a good start,” she said. “It’s not where I want to be, but it will help us get there.” 

The final ordinance in this section of the agenda was 2025-152, which would allow the mayor to enter into a contract to purchase office furniture for the finance department. After questions around what furniture actually meant, Toppin explained that it was for furniture and restructuring the back of the whole department. This would create a new conference room, so that “when we are meeting with vendors, you don’t hear the toilet flush,” he said.

McIntire said that he understood the need, but felt that the first priority should be to get the council moved into the building. Feldman pointed out that council’s move was supposed to happen this year and that time “was running out.” McIntire, Fiocca and Baranek voted against the proposal. Feldman, Coffey and Herman voted for it. Reilly said in this case, a tie meant the ordinance failed.

Next, a number of ordinances were put up for first reading. After each one was read, a motion was made to suspend the rules. A second motion was made to vote to approve the ordinance. When the votes were taken, each ordinance passed by unanimous consent and Feldman proclaimed that they would “take effect according to its terms.”

2025-176 will authorize the mayor to enter into an agreement with Enbridge to supply a natural gas line for the driving range heaters. Before voting, McIntire confirmed that Fox Den currently runs on propane and asked about the work involved in the changeover. Wren said switching the heaters to operate with natural gas could be handled by staff. Feldman then asked about the financial health of the facility. Wren said that on Sept. 3, they crossed the $2 million mark in revenue and that was the earliest that has ever happened. To date, the range is generating an average of $900 a day in revenue.

2025-177 allows the mayor to enter into a contract for substance abuse counseling and prevention for Stow Youth Services. The contract will be with Samantha Pfeiffer.

2025-178 creates community reinvestment area agreements in Area I of the city and 2025-179 does the same in Area IV.

The next two ordinances – 2025-180 and 2025-181 – dealt with Community Reinvestment Area tax incentive agreements and grants for Haury Enterprises LLC. They are building the Suncrest Gardens complex.

Water fees and an increase in certain areas was the subject of 2025-182. While this was on the agenda, Feldman stated that it did not make it out of committee and no vote was held.

The final ordinance was 2025-183, which permitted the acceptance of material items in connection with the state settlement with the Sackler family and associated drug manufacturers.

Next, a unanimous approval was made to pay all outstanding bills. Feldman then announced that the next council meeting would be held on Sept. 25 before adjourning the session.